A Pickle 

“Please don’t use my hair to climb the sofa,” were the first words I said as I began to type this post… sorta sums up the emotions of the day: uncomfortable, annoying, and frustrating.

We had the home inspection on the (hopefully) future homestead. While most of the information I was given I already knew from my own observations, there were some unpleasant surprises, not the least of which was a shed snakeskin above the new hot water heater… which had me preoccupied with the thought, “but where is the snake?” for the remainder of the inspection walkthrough.The short list of repairs needed is as follows:

1. The exterior wood around the house is damaged by carpenter bees and woodpeckers.
2. The roof is comprised of 2 layers of asphalt shingles, the first of which is in bad shape and is causing cupping of the top layer
3. The chimney flashing is covered by roofing tar 
4. The chimney has been stuffed with fiberglass insulation and topped with a couple paving stones
5. The basement has mold, and frankly just needs to be gutted
6. The plumbing is comprised of galvanized pipe which contributes to the poor water pressure 
7. The HVAC unit is 11 years old and is apparently a ticking time bomb, it could last anywhere from 1-10 more years
8. The majority of the outlets are wired backwards (reverse polarity) which is a safety hazard particularly for the outlets near water sources i.e. laundry room and kitchen.
9. The bathroom sink leaks and is causing mold accumulation
10. The tub looks like Bigfoot has been showering there for the last 20 years without ever cleaning it out 
11. There are several holes in the walls/doors that have been “patched” with either duct tape or luan plywood cutouts
12. There is no safety railing around the front porch or steps
13. The gutters are clogged causing water to run toward the foundation
14. There are apparently snakes living somewhere…
15. There are several wasps nests
16. Exterminating needs to be done
17. Termite inspection needs to be done
18. Then there’s the whole updating everything from top to bottom, carpet to kitchen cabinets…

Frankly, I’m pretty discouraged. It’s hard not to be. The one shining light is that the water heater is only 2 years old (I wonder how old the snakeskin is…)

And after my husband’s car accident a couple months ago, we depleted our savings buying a replacement vehicle, and then the expenses of moving (truck, utilities, inspections, closing costs, fees, temporary lodging, etc.) all coupled with the fact that I’m 6 months pregnant, I have a 16 month old to take care of, we have 16 days until we are forced to vacate our current home, and our closest family is 6 hours away, I’m getting a little nervous. That’s a lot of 6s…

I’m not saying God can’t pull a miracle that will bring Him all the glory in carrying us through this situation, I fully believe he can. My concern stems from the fact that in order for the loan to go through on the house, the VA appraiser has to pass the home and repairs that are safety hazards must be made prior to closing.

Even sticking to a tight budget of no extras (cable, expensive phones, minimal eating out, strict savings plans) we STILL live paycheck to paycheck barely clearing each month by $150 or so.

I say all this not to  gain your pity; I have all the pity I need. I share this so that by seeing how fragile and weak we are in our situation, you might then clearly see the Glory of God revealed in how the remainder of this situation unfolds, and that it may result in you giving praise to the Father in Heaven for his mighty works.

I don’t know where the money is going to come from, I don’t know if the sale of the house will go through, I don’t know if I will end up pregnant and homeless, in spite of the overtime shifts my husband has been working. I just don’t know.But…

 I trust God who gave His only Son to die out of love for a pitiful soul like me to remain faithful in His promises to care for and sustain me and my family even in the bleakest of circumstances. The Bible says to cast all your cares on Jesus for he cares for you and will sustain you, Psalm 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7.

It’s in the trials of life and in the poorest of circumstances when my faith is tried and tested. May I prove faithful and unwavering in my belief in and service to God.

Amen, and Come soon, Lord Jesus!